Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If the Deputy wants, I will outline all the reasons again.

The biodiversity debate was in its infancy then and now we know much more than we did at that stage. As the committee will be aware, the rate of biodiversity decline is frightening. I have outlined all of these reasons to the Deputy. We are the last generation that can do anything about it and I felt a responsibility in relation to that. I was given the power to make these regulations and I had to make that decision. As I said, I did not do it lightly. I have heard everybody's concerns but if there are genuine agricultural reasons as well, one can still cut the hedges.

It may be of assistance - I am trying to see what we could possibly do to make it a little easier because I can hear vividly the frustrations of the Deputy's experience as a rural Deputy and that of his constituents - if we write to the local authorities and clarify the position from our perspective. It may be advisable, perhaps in conjunction with the relevant local authority, to remove hedgerows on a bad bend which might improve visibility and reduce risk of accident, in any event, on national roads.